M. Caba et al., PERISPINAL PROGESTINS ENHANCE THE ANTINOCICEPTIVE EFFECTS OF MUSCIMOLIN THE RAT, Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, 47(1), 1994, pp. 177-182
The intrathecal (IT) injection of progesterone (PROG) or three of its
ring A-reduced metabolites (5 beta,3 alpha-pregnanolone, 5 alpha,3 alp
ha-pregnanolone, or 5 beta,3 beta-pregnanolone) did not significantly
alter any of two pain thresholds (vocalization threshold to tail shock
, VTTS, or tail flick latency, TFL) in ovariectomized rats when tested
in a wide range of doses (2.5-250 mu g). When combined with a subanal
gesic dose of muscimol (MUSC; 1 mu g IT), PROG and its two 3 alpha-hyd
roxy derivatives, but not the 3 beta, caused significant analgesia in
the VTTS but not in the TFL test. No clear dose-response relationships
were noted in the analgesic response to the combination of the proges
tins and MUSC. The present results indicate that PROG, either directly
or through its ring A-reduction, can modulate nociceptive information
by enhancing the action of GABA agonists on GABA(A) receptors.